BOOK VII

THE HOLY GRAAL IN THE LIGHT OF THE CELTIC CHURCH

THE ARGUMENT

I. STATEMENT OF A POSSIBLE IMPLICIT ACCOUNTING FOR ALL CLAIMS.--The Celtic Church as an environment of the Graal literature--Its traces of Eastern influence--O f the spirit of the East in the Graal Legend--Its implicits as reflections of the Celtic Church--The source of British Christianity independent of Rome--Reference to the Johannine Rite--Certain considerations which would determine the present inquiry. II. THE FORMULÆ OF THE HYPOTHESIS SCHEDULED.--Of Britain as a microcosm of the world An analogy from the Apocalypse--Celtic religious sympathies--The hypothesis under review--Celtic origin of the Graal Legend--The Legend as an ecclesiastical growth--The Graal Church--St. David and his miraculous Altar--The Fish Symbol and the Rich Fisherman--The Secret Words as an evasive reference to the Epiclesis clause--Nature of this clause in Eucharistic consecration--Celtic Hereditary Keepers of Relics--General characteristics of the Celtic Relic--Of Mass Chalices--Of mystic and holy cups--Of the Columbarium and the Graal Dove--The disappearance of St. David's Altar--Withdrawal of the Celtic Rite--The Celtic Church and the Druids--Cadwaladr and Galahad--The return of the British King--Claims connected with Glastonbury--The substitution of Joseph of Arimathæa for St. David--Further concerning Fish symbolism--And concerning Mass chalices--Of Mystic Bells--A Church consecrated by Christ--Super-Apostolical succession--The House of

[paragraph continues]Anjou--A mystery of the Celtic Mass--Summary of the whole matter--The Celtic Book of the Graal and the Secret Mass-Book. III. IN WHAT SENSE THE PLEA MUST BE HELD TO FAIL.--Some preliminary admissions--The Secret Tradition of the Epoch--Further concerning Super-Apostolical Succession--History of the Church in Britain--Further concerning the Johannine Rite--Absence of Passion-Relics in the Welsh Church--The Epiclesis clause does not explain the Secret Words--Greek mode of consecration--Distinctions between Cadwaladr and Galahad--Fantasy of the VIR AQUATICUS--The Altar of St. David a false ground of comparison--Substitutes for the sacramental Cup--True position of the Glastonbury claim--No substitution of Joseph for St. David--The Second Joseph--Another light on King Arthur's chalice--And on the Mystery of the Celtic Mass--Further concerning a Secret Book of the Mass--The Pan-Britannic Church and the Graal literature--The Celtic Church and the literature. IV. THE VICTORY OF THE LATIN RITE.--Of Rome and the other Assemblies--Why Rome prevailed--The conclusion that we must go further.